"be processed and what ore is of too low a grade to be worth mining. Metal ores are generally oxides, sulfides, silicates, or native metals (such as native copper) that are not commonly concentrated in the Earth's crust, or noble metals (not usually forming compounds) such as gold. The ores must be processed to extract the elements of interest from the waste rock and from the ore minerals. Ore bodies are formed by a variety of geological processes. The process of ore formation is called ore genesis. An ore deposit is an accumulation of ore. This is distinct from a"
"tetrahedrite as ore minerals along with common accessories pyrite, pyrrhotite, quartz, carbonates and graphite. Minor arsenopyrite, marcasite, chalcopyrite, valleriite, proustite, polybasite and argentite also occur. Original surface oxidized ore contained cerussite, anglesite and pyromorphite. Silver and zinc were removed from the surface oxidized zone and were deposited as supergene ore at a depth above the primary ore. Copper occurs in brecciated ""silica-dolomite"" rock. Primary minerals are chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite and arsenopyrite. minor amounts of cobaltite, marcasite, valleriite, chalcostibite, galena and others are reported. Smelter operations release sulfur dioxide emissions very close to the city of Mount Isa. The Mount Isa Mines"
"ore of titanium; other examples include cassiterite (SnO; ore of tin), and pyrolusite (MnO; ore of manganese). In hydroxides, the dominant anion is the hydroxyl ion, OH. Bauxites are the chief aluminium ore, and are a heterogeneous mixture of the hydroxide minerals diaspore, gibbsite, and bohmite; they form in areas with a very high rate of chemical weathering (mainly tropical conditions). Finally, multiple oxides are compounds of two metals with oxygen. A major group within this class are the spinels, with a general formula of XYO. Examples of species include spinel (MgAlO), chromite (FeCrO), and magnetite (FeO). The latter is"
"Maucherite Maucherite is a grey to reddish silver white nickel arsenide mineral. It crystallizes in the tetragonal crystal system. It occurs in hydrothermal veins alongside other nickel arsenide and sulfide minerals. It is metallic and opaque with a hardness of 5 and a specific gravity of 7.83. It is also known as placodine and Temiskamite. The unit cell is of symmetry group ""P4""22 or ""P4""22. It has the chemical formula: NiAs and commonly contains copper, iron, cobalt, antimony, and sulfur as impurities. It was discovered in 1913 in Eisleben, Germany and was named after Wilhelm Maucher (1879–1930), a German mineral"
"Sphalerite Sphalerite ((Zn, Fe)S) is a mineral that is the chief ore of zinc. It consists largely of zinc sulfide in crystalline form but almost always contains variable iron. When iron content is high it is an opaque black variety, marmatite. It is usually found in association with galena, pyrite, and other sulfides along with calcite, dolomite, and fluorite. Miners have also been known to refer to sphalerite as zinc blende, black-jack and ruby jack. The mineral crystallizes in the cubic crystal system. In the crystal structure, zinc and sulfur atoms are tetrahedrally coordinated. The structure is closely related to"
"collector. Maucherite Maucherite is a grey to reddish silver white nickel arsenide mineral. It crystallizes in the tetragonal crystal system. It occurs in hydrothermal veins alongside other nickel arsenide and sulfide minerals. It is metallic and opaque with a hardness of 5 and a specific gravity of 7.83. It is also known as placodine and Temiskamite. The unit cell is of symmetry group ""P4""22 or ""P4""22. It has the chemical formula: NiAs and commonly contains copper, iron, cobalt, antimony, and sulfur as impurities. It was discovered in 1913 in Eisleben, Germany and was named after Wilhelm Maucher (1879–1930), a German"
"or green. Sphalerite Sphalerite ((Zn, Fe)S) is a mineral that is the chief ore of zinc. It consists largely of zinc sulfide in crystalline form but almost always contains variable iron. When iron content is high it is an opaque black variety, marmatite. It is usually found in association with galena, pyrite, and other sulfides along with calcite, dolomite, and fluorite. Miners have also been known to refer to sphalerite as zinc blende, black-jack and ruby jack. The mineral crystallizes in the cubic crystal system. In the crystal structure, zinc and sulfur atoms are tetrahedrally coordinated. The structure is closely"
"has also been reported from Salamanca Province, Spain; the Organullo Mining District of Salta Province, Argentina; and the Delamar Mountains of Lincoln County, Nevada, US. Mohite Mohite is a copper tin sulfide mineral with the chemical formula CuSnS. It is colored greenish gray and leaves a gray streak. It is opaque and has metallic luster. Its crystal system is triclinic pedial. It is rated 4 on the Mohs Scale and has a specific gravity of 4.86. Mohite was first described in 1982 for an occurrence in the Chatkal-Kuramin Mountains of eastern Uzbekistan. It was named after Günter Harald Moh (1929–1993),"
"Bartelkeite Bartelkeite is an exceptionally rare mineral, one of scarce natural germanium compounds. The formula was originally assumed to be PbFeGeO, bartelkeite was later shown to be isostructural with a high-pressure form of the mineral lawsonite. Thus, its correct formula is PbFeGe(GeO)(OH)•HO. Bartelkeite and mathewrogersite are minerals with essential (dominant) lead, iron and germanium. Both come from Tsumeb, Namibia - a world's ""capital"" of germanium minerals. Bartelkeite was detected in voids of germanium ore occurring within dolostones. The mineral associates with galena, germanite, reniérite, and tennantite. Bartelkeite is the first analyzed mineral containing both tetrahedrally- and octahedrally-coordinated germanium. It is"
"in numerous classical texts. They listed it among historical imperial tribute products presented from the far western regions of China, and as the mineral-fruit of the legendary ""langgan"" trees of immortality on Mount Kunlun (Bokenkamp 1997: 289). Schafer's 1978 monograph on ""langgan"" sought to identify the treasured blue-green gemstone, if it ever had a unique identity, and concluded the most plausible identification is malachite, a bright green mineral that was anciently used as a copper ore and an ornamental stone. Two early Chinese mineralogical authorities (Chang 1921: 24, Read and Pak 1928: 21) identified ""langgan"" as malachite, commonly called ""kǒngquèshí"""
"Kamacite Kamacite is an alloy of iron and nickel, which is found on Earth only in meteorites. The proportion iron:nickel is between 90:10 and 95:5; small quantities of other elements, such as cobalt or carbon may also be present. The mineral has a metallic luster, is gray and has no clear cleavage although its crystal structure is isometric-hexoctahedral. Its density is about 8 g/cm and its hardness is 4 on the Mohs scale. It is also sometimes called balkeneisen. The name was coined in 1861 and is derived from the Greek root ""καμακ-"" ""kamak"" or ""κάμαξ"" ""kamaks"", meaning vine-pole. It"
"in the orthorhombic system. Usually a pale turquoise-blue, with a pale blue streak and an adamantine to silky luster. It is quite hard, with hardness 5.5 to 6, close to that of feldspar, and specific gravity 3.6 to 3.8. Optically it is biaxial (+), with refractive indices between 1.64 and 1.74, and pleochroic. Plancheite is a secondary mineral formed in the oxidized zone of copper deposits, associated with other copper minerals chrysocolla, dioptase, malachite, conichalcite and tenorite. It occurs with primary malachite at the Milpillas Mine in Mexico. The type locality is the Sanda Mine, Mindouli, Pool Region, Republic of"
"Antlerite Antlerite is a greenish hydrous copper sulfate mineral, with the formula Cu(SO)(OH). It occurs in tabular, acicular, or fibrous crystals with a vitreous luster. Originally believed to be a rare mineral, antlerite was found to be the primary ore of the oxidised zones in several copper mines across the world, including the Chuquicamata mine in Chile, and the Antler mine in Arizona, US from which it takes its name. It is chemically and optically similar in many respects to other copper minerals such as malachite and brochantite, though it can be distinguished from the former by a lack of"
"Zaratite Zaratite is a bright emerald green nickel carbonate mineral with formula NiCO(OH)·4HO. Zaratite crystallizes in the isometric crystal system as massive to mammillary encrustations and vein fillings. It has a specific gravity of 2.6 and a Mohs hardness of 3 to 3.5. It has no cleavage and is brittle to conchoidal fracture. The luster is vitreous to greasy. It is a rare secondary mineral formed by hydration or alteration of the primary nickel and iron bearing minerals, chromite, pentlandite, pyrrhotite, and millerite, during the serpentinization of ultramafic rocks. Hellyerite, NiCO·6HO, is a related mineral. It was found originally in"
"Wolframite Wolframite, (Fe,Mn)WO, is an iron manganese tungstate mineral that is the intermediate between ferberite (Fe rich) and hübnerite (Mn rich). Along with scheelite, the wolframite series are the most important tungsten ore minerals. Wolframite is found in quartz veins and pegmatites associated with granitic intrusives. Associated minerals include cassiterite, scheelite, bismuth, quartz, pyrite, galena, sphalerite, and arsenopyrite. This mineral was historically found in Europe in Bohemia, Saxony, and Cornwall. China reportedly has the world's largest supply of tungsten ore with about 60%. Other producers are Canada, Portugal, Russia, Australia, Thailand, South Korea, Rwanda, Bolivia, the United States, and the"
"Mohawkite Mohawkite is a rare rock consisting of mixtures of arsenic , silver, nickel, skutterudite and copper, with the formula CuAs up to CuAs, and the most desirable material was usually found in white quartz matrix. It has a hardness of 3-3.5 and a metallic luster. It is named after the Mohawk mine where it was originally found. Colors range from brassy-yellow to metallic gray, and sometimes will have a blue or greenish surface tarnish. These colors come from its two main ingredients, the arsenic-rich copper minerals algodonite and domeykite. Its color may resemble pyrrhotite, but unlike pyrrhotite, mohawkite is"
"Mohite Mohite is a copper tin sulfide mineral with the chemical formula CuSnS. It is colored greenish gray and leaves a gray streak. It is opaque and has metallic luster. Its crystal system is triclinic pedial. It is rated 4 on the Mohs Scale and has a specific gravity of 4.86. Mohite was first described in 1982 for an occurrence in the Chatkal-Kuramin Mountains of eastern Uzbekistan. It was named after Günter Harald Moh (1929–1993), University of Heidelberg. It is of hydrothermal origin and occurs associated with tetrahedrite, famatinite, kuramite, mawsonite and emplectite in the type locality in Uzbekistan. It"
"telluride ores of gold, although such ores are minor sources of gold in general. As a major gold mineral found in Western Australia, calaverite played a major role in the 1890s gold rushes in that area. Calaverite occurs as monoclinic crystals, which do not possess cleavage planes. It has a specific gravity of 9.35 and a hardness of 2.5. Calaverite can be dissolved in concentrated sulfuric acid. In hot sulfuric acid the mineral dissolves, leaving a spongy mass of gold in a red solution of tellurium. Calaverite’s structure has been both an object of fascination and frustration in the scientific"
"chalcocite, bornite and chalcopyrite, with associated malachite, azurite and cuprite. Native copper can also be found in the greestone. Copper extraction was a many step process in an attempt to be as efficient as possible. Chalcocite and covellite were sent directly to the smelting plant in Tacoma. Malachite, azurite, and other forms of copper within the limestone needed separation in the 14-story mill building before shipment. The mill was mainly built between 1909 and 1923. Ore arrived at the mill via aerial tramways, where the high-grade portion (60-60% copper) was crushed and placed in a chute to carry it directly"
"Galaxite Galaxite, also known as 'mangan-spinel' is an isometric mineral belonging to the spinel group of oxides with the ideal chemical formula MnAlO. Galaxite is the manganese (Mn) rich endmember of the aluminium (Al) series of the spinel group. Divalent iron (Fe) and magnesium (Mg) readily substitute for the manganese in the crystal structure. Trivalent iron may also substitute for the aluminium. Thus, reflecting most natural samples, the formula may be better represented as (Mn,Fe,Mg)(Al,Fe)O. Galaxite generally occurs as small granular aggregates with a red-brownish tone. It has a vitreous luster and leaves a brownish-red streak. It is rated 7.5"
"there. In the 18th century Gumyoshevsky mine represented the largest copper reserve of the Ural Mountains, and gained fame as the major supplier of malachite. It produced 450-480 tons of copper annually. About 500 workers were employed at the mine. The Gumyoshevsky malachite was popular because of its exceptional quality. It was used for decorating the Winter Palace, Saint Michael's Castle, the Palace of Versailles, the Saint Isaac's Cathedral. The samples of ores and minerals from the mine are now kept in the museums around the world, e.g. in the Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin, Germany. For a long time"
"Chalcocite Chalcocite (), copper(I) sulfide (CuS), is an important copper ore mineral. It is opaque and dark-gray to black with a metallic luster. It has a hardness of - 3 on the Mohs scale. It is a sulfide with an orthorhombic crystal system. The term chalcocite comes from the alteration of the obsolete name ""chalcosine"", from the Greek ""khalkos"", meaning copper. It is also known as redruthite, vitreous copper and copper-glance. Chalcocite is sometimes found as a primary vein mineral in hydrothermal veins. However, most chalcocite occurs in the supergene enriched environment below the oxidation zone of copper deposits as"
"be an intimate mixture of copper and nickel arsenides and the mohawkite name was discredited as a mineral species. Mohawkite, being a copper ore, is used for obtaining copper. However, when the copper is removed, it is toxic due to the amounts of arsenic in it. Mohawkite, particularly when it contains quartz, is often used in jewelry because of its appearance. Mohawkite Mohawkite is a rare rock consisting of mixtures of arsenic , silver, nickel, skutterudite and copper, with the formula CuAs up to CuAs, and the most desirable material was usually found in white quartz matrix. It has a"
"Muscovite Muscovite (also known as common mica, isinglass, or potash mica) is a hydrated phyllosilicate mineral of aluminium and potassium with formula KAl(AlSiO)(FOH), or (KF)(AlO)(SiO)(HO). It has a highly perfect basal cleavage yielding remarkably thin laminae (sheets) which are often highly elastic. Sheets of muscovite 5 meters × 3 meters (16.5 feet × 10 feet) have been found in Nellore, India. Muscovite has a Mohs hardness of 2–2.25 parallel to the [001] face, 4 perpendicular to the [001] and a specific gravity of 2.76–3. It can be colorless or tinted through grays, browns, greens, yellows, or (rarely) violet or red,"
"to chalcopyrite CuFeS, making it helpful in the study of ore deposits and the study of the central portion of the Cu-Fe-S phase system. Mooihoekite, chalcopyrite, talnakhite, and haycockite all play key roles in the study of ore genesis and beneficiation. Mooihoekite Mooihoekite is a copper iron sulfide mineral with chemical formula of CuFeS. The mineral was discovered in 1972 and received its name from its discovery area, the Mooihoek mine in Transvaal, South Africa. Mooihoekite crystallizes in the tetragonal crystal system. It has a short optical c-axis that is perpendicular to two longer a-axes of equal length. For Mooihoekite,"
"Notable examples include azurite, malachite, antlerite, and brochantite. Azurite (2CuCO·Cu(OH)) and malachite (CuCO·Cu(OH)) are hydroxy-carbonates, whereas antlerite (CuSO·2Cu(OH)) and brochantite (CuSO·3Cu(OH)) are hydroxy-sulfates. Many synthetic copper(II) hydroxide derivatives have been investigated. Copper(II) hydroxide Copper(II) hydroxide is the hydroxide of copper with the chemical formula of Cu(OH). It is a pale greenish blue or bluish green solid. Some forms of copper(II) hydroxide are sold as ""stabilized"" copper hydroxide, although they likely consist of a mixture of copper(II) carbonate and hydroxide. Copper hydroxide is a weak base. Copper(II) hydroxide has been known since copper smelting began around 5000 BC although the alchemists"
"of the water bath, causing the collector to ionize more and to preferentially bond to chalcopyrite (CuFeS) and avoid the pyrite (FeS). Iron exists in both primary zone minerals. Copper ores containing chalcopyrite can be concentrated to produce a concentrate with between 20% and 30% copper-in-concentrate (usually 27–29% copper); the remainder of the concentrate is iron and sulfur in the chalcopyrite, and unwanted impurities such as silicate gangue minerals or other sulfide minerals, typically minor amounts of pyrite, sphalerite or galena. Chalcocite concentrates typically grade between 37% and 40% copper-in-concentrate, as chalcocite has no iron within the mineral. Secondary sulfides"
"Baryte Baryte or barite (, ) is a mineral consisting of barium sulfate (BaSO). Baryte is generally white or colorless, and is the main source of barium. The ""baryte group"" consists of baryte, celestine (strontium sulfate), anglesite (lead sulfate), and anhydrite (calcium sulfate). Baryte and celestine form a solid solution (Ba,Sr)SO. The radiating form, sometimes referred to as ""Bologna Stone"", attained some notoriety among alchemists for the phosphorescent specimens found in the 17th century near Bologna by Vincenzo Casciarolo. The American Petroleum Institute specification API 13/ISO 13500, which governs ""baryte"" for drilling purposes, does not refer to any specific mineral,"
"Tantalite The mineral group tantalite [(Fe, Mn)TaO] is the primary source of the chemical element tantalum. It is chemically similar to ""columbite"", and the two are often grouped together as a semi-singular mineral called coltan or ""columbite-tantalite"" in many mineral guides. However, tantalite has a much greater specific gravity than columbite (8.0+ compared to columbite's 5.2). Iron-rich tantalite is the mineral tantalite-(Fe) or ""ferrotantalite"" and manganese-rich is tantalite-(Mn) or ""manganotantalite"". Tantalite is also very close to ""tapiolite"". Those minerals have same chemical composition, but different crystal symmetry orthorhombic for tantalite and tetragonal for tapiolite. Tantalite is black to brown in"
"Maricite Maricite or ""marićite"" is a sodium iron phosphate mineral (NaFePO), that has two metal cations connected to a phosphate tetrahedron. It is structurally similar to the much more common mineral olivine. Maricite is brittle, usually colorless to gray, and has been found in nodules within shale beds often containing other minerals. Maricite is most commonly known to be found in the Big Fish River area of the Yukon Territory, Canada, but it has also been found in Eastern Germany, as well as inside of various meteorites around the world. Maricite is named after Luka Maric (1899–1979) of Croatia, the"
"to have occurred approximately 1 billion years ago. There are a few sulphides and oxide minerals that form within the ore that are a particular interest, the major one being sphalerite. Galena, pyrite, pyrrhotite, and marcasite commonly occur with the sphalerite along with some minor arsenopyrite and chalcopyrite. Gahnite and rutile are the most common oxide minerals that form within the ore, with rutile being the most abundant. Graphite is also a mineral that is commonly found within the ore and surrounding rock. Extracted deposits through drilling, blasting, and underground mining methods are loaded and taken to be processed while"
"Fuchsite Fuchsite, also known as chrome mica, is a chromium (Cr) rich variety of the mineral muscovite, belonging to the mica group of phyllosilicate minerals, with the following formula: K(Al,Cr)(AlSiO)(OH). Trivalent chromium replaces one of the aluminium (Al) atoms in the general muscovite formula producing the apple green hue distinctive of fuchsite. It is often found in minute micaceous aggregates (with individual plates barely visible), as a major component of chromium rich phyllitic or schistose metamorphic rocks of the greenschist facies. Verdite is an impure often multicolored variety of fuchsite used for ornamental carvings. Fuchsite is named after the German"
"Manganite Manganite is a mineral composed of manganese oxide-hydroxide, MnO(OH), crystallizing in the monoclinic system (pseudo-orthorhombic). Crystals of manganite are prismatic and deeply striated parallel to their length; they are often grouped together in bundles. The color is dark steel-grey to iron-black, and the luster brilliant and submetallic. The streak is dark reddish brown. The hardness is 4, and the specific gravity is 4.3. There is a perfect cleavage parallel to the brachypinacoid, and less-perfect cleavage parallel to the prism faces. Twinned crystals are not infrequent. The mineral contains 89.7% manganese sesquioxide; it dissolves in hydrochloric acid with evolution of"